Apparatus for recording intermittent operation of a machine



Dec. 13, 1949 s P H 2,491,110

APPARATUS FOR REC ORDING INTERMITTENT OPERATION OF A MACHINE Filed July 1, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 fi m i j 213W awwm.

ATTORNEYS Dec. 13, 1949 s. P. HUNT APPARATUS FOR RECORDING INTERMITTENT OPERATION OF A MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 l: :Lii 1 1 11121::3: T1. T T I lit: 1:.

l kEyTQR a M 661441.15

ATTORNEY-S Dec. 13, 1949 s. P. HUNT APPARATUS FOR RECORDING INTERHITTENT OPERATION OF A MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 1, 1947 L 5 m mm WP w 1 MA mi B S. P. HUNT APPARATUS FOR RECORDING INTERMITTENT I Dec, 13, 1949 OPERATION OF A MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 1, 1947 EMPLOYEE..-.

N0. HANKS ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 13, 1949 UNITED OFFICE APPARATUS FOR RECORDING INT-ERMITe-,I

TENT OPERATION OF A MACHINE Stanley P. Hunt; Charlottesville; Va.",=assignur to Institute of Textile Technology, Cliarlottesvilla: Va.,' a corporationofflirginias:

Application July. 1,1947, Serial No; 758,239 I to time under normal operating conditions, as,

for example, in order to dispose of the product, to. provide a new supplyof raw material, or for like reasons. Examples ofgsuch 'machines are the spinning, roving, and drawing frames employed in the textile industry, and, since thernewr recorder in a form suitable foruse with "a spinning frame affords all the advantagesof theinvention, such. an embodiment of the invention willjibe. illii's: trated and describedin detail forpurposesof e'x-.

planation. It will, be, apparent, however, that.

the utility of theinvention isnot limited toithat. specific application.

The productivity ofa spinning, frame is 11163.57. ured in units vof,length,1 such,as hanks of840.

yards, and the frame must be stopped, at in'te'rvals for dofiing, that is, removing the fullbobbins from the spindles :and replacing them with 'emptys, ones. Itiis customary toprovid'ejth frames with...

an indicating device called a hank clock, which is driven, fromthe delivery. rollsjofthe frame, and. .30

indicates the ,totaloutputof the..frame.in hanks... of yarn producedand the dofiers, who, tendspinning frames, r-are ordinarily paid. on the basis. ofv .i. the output measured. in hanks", However,.if,.,a

dofi'erris paidsolely on the basis of. the number of hanks" produced during his shift, he -is .tempted to let the frames run as long as possible without.

stopping for dofiing, and a skillful dofier. can op erate his, spinning frameswith. long ,dofis and throw most of the .do'ffing .on the succeedingshift, 40

The doffers of the. following shift then earn .less.

pay because of. the decreased output. of the .1

frames. resultingfromthe necessity of .more doff-- ing. during. that shift. This, situation can.- not be 1 corrected bybasing. the payscale onthe number.

of doifs'made per shift, .because the temptation is then to operate with shortdoffs'and the .total. output ofthe frames is reduced bytheincreased idle time.

The practices above referred to notbnlycause- '50 trouble among the employees ,workingbn .difiere, ent shifts, but also reduce the efficiency of. opera:-. tion. As a consequence, many mills have adopt-- ed a combination pay'scale, which takes intoaccount'both the number 'of' 'hanks producedand'"55' 3 Claims? (Cl. 316 78) e 2 the= numberof do'fis'made per shift. The'ordinaryhank cIOck, howeven'does'not give all the information-required for'computingthe compensation'ofa doifer paid according to-such a com- :bination'pay scale.

The present invention is directed to the provision -of-a recording-apparatus, which can be used with a spinning frame to make a record of the total o'utputofthe frameper-shift, the number -of doffs per shift; andthe output in hanks between successivedoffsb In thenew apparatus, therecords' are made-on a record sheet, preferably in'the-formof a cardyand, at the beginning of"thes'hift,"a card assigned to' theparticular- 'doiferis inserted in'the apparatus.

is enclosed in acasingjand the closing of the casin'gafterinsertion of the card causes the v The recorder reading of a counting-device-to be printed on the card.- The counting device is driven from a moving'part of-theframe; such as'one of the delivery rolls, and, when the frame is in operatiomthe counting device" counts theoutput of the yarn in terms of hanks? Whenever-the frame is stopped for-doifingythe resetting of the builder motion ofthe frame by the doffer causes the reading of the'c-ounting device at that time to be printed upQn-the'oard: At the end of the shift, when thedofferscardis to beremoved, the opening-of the casing'causes'a reading of the counting-device to 'be printed onthecard.- Each card thus bears-a record" ofthereading of the counting device inhanks 'atthe beginningand end of;the shift and records of the intermediate readings'of' the' deviceati-the -doifs't- With sucha record, ac-

curate computation ofthe dofferspay is an easy matteni.

For a betteriunderstanding of the invention,

reference may be""hadrto the accompanying j drawings; in which Figgl 'isra view in"side"elevation of one form of the new recorderflwitnpart of the casing, removed;

Figl 2 isfalverticalsectional. view on the line 22- of.-Fig..;1;.v 7

Fig.3 is a horizontal sectionalview on theline 3-3of Figrl Fig.1;4 isIa ..verticalusectional:view on .the line Figs. 5 and*6 are" vertical sectional views on the lines -5-5 and '6-"6,--respectively,' of Fig. 4;

Figs-'7 is a view-in side "elevation of a portion'of the--builder motion of a spinning frame;

Fi'gP-fl is a wiringdiagramof'the recorder; and

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a record card suitable for use in the recorder and bearing typical records made thereby.

The new recording apparatus in the form 11- lustrated includes a casing l5, which may be mounted at any convenient place with respect to the machine, with which it is to be used, and has a hinged cover A counting device |2 of standard construction is mounted'on an upright l3 secured to the bottom wall of the casing, and the device includes number wheels having raised numerals. The case of the device has a front opening, through which an impression may be taken from the wheels to provide a printed record. The device is of the ratchet-operated type and the pawl shaft l4 projects through the case of the device and carries an arm [5 having a roller |5 at its free end. The roller runs on the surface of a cam IT on a shaft l8 mounted in suitable bearings attached to standard I3 and the arm is acted upon by a spring l9 to maintain roller I5 in contact with the edge of the cam. The free end of arm I5 is connected by a link 20 to an arm 2| attached to the pawl shaft 22 of a second standard ratchet-operated numbering device 23. This device is mounted on standard i3 opposite a window 24 in casing so that the reading of the device can be noted through the window.

The shaft l8 carries a worm gear 25, which is driven by a worm 25 on a shaft 21. Shaft 21 carries a large worm gear 28 driven by a worm 29 on a drive shaft 33, which extends out of the casing l0 and is connected to a moving part of the machine, with which the recorder is to be used. Such moving part should rotate continuously during the operation of the machine and at a uniform speed related to the output of the machine. Whenthe recorder is used with a spinning frame, the drive shaft 35 may be connected to be driven from one of the delivery rolls of the frame.

The printing counting device l2 and cam H are of such construction that once per revolution of the cam, the lowest order number wheel of the device advances one digit and, in a recorder used with a spinning frame, the digits of the lowest order number wheel may represent tenths of a hank, or 84 yards each. The driving connections, including the worms and worm wheels between shaft I8 and the delivery rolls of the frame, are then chosen, so that cam makes one revolution for each 84 yards of yarn delivered.

The record sheet used in the new apparatus is preferably a card 3| insertable in guides 32 attached to an upright frame member 33 secured to the bottom of casing Ill. The guides 32 are spaced apart to expose the central part of the card between them and the card is inserted in the guides from above and passed between a rubber-treaded roller 34 and a metal roller 35. Roller 34 is mounted on a shaft 36 in bearings in extensions of frame 33 and the shaft is provided with a sprocket wheel 37. Roller 35 is mounted in a fork 38 having a stem 39, which passes through a bore through upright I3 and a boss 40 extending therefrom. The stem of the fork is encircled by a spring 4|, which bears at one end against upright l3 and at the other against the head of the fork and tends to force the fork and roller 35 toward the card. The free end of the stem 39 is slotted and a pin 42 extending through the boss 40 and the slot holds the fork in proper position with roller 35 rotating in a vertical plane.

M by one step past the number wheels.

A let-off spool 43 for an inked ribbon 44 is mounted on a vertical shaft 45 supported in bearings on the frame 33. The spool rests on a disc 46 encircling the shaft and is keyed thereto by a pin 15 on the disc, which enters an opening in the barrel of the spool. The ribbon extends from the spool around guides 32 to a take-up spool 4? mounted on and keyed to a disc fast on a vertical shaft 48 supported in bearings attached to frame member 33. Shaft 48 is provided with a worm gear 49 meshing with a Worm 59 on a horizontal shaft 5| supported in bearings on the frame 33. The central portion ofthe ribbon between the spools is supported in guides 52 attached to the faces of guides 32 and the portion of the ribbon between guides 52 lies in front of the opening in case l2, through which the number wheels are exposed, and between the wheels and the card.

A bell crank lever mounted on shaft 5| includes a vertical arm 53 with a lateral extension at its end faced with a resilient pad 54. The lever is connected with shaft 5| to move therewith in one direction only. For this purpose, the lever is formed with an enlarged hub 55 encircling toothed disc 58 fast on the shaft and formed with spaced recesses in its periphery for cooperation with the inner surface of hub 55 to provide recesses, in which balls 51 are mounted. When the lever, as shown in Fig. 1, is moved clockwise, the hub 55 passes freely over balls 57 but, When the lever moves counter-clockwise, the balls are pinched between the walls of the recesses and the hub and the lever and shaft 5| move in unison.

The horizontal arm 58 of the bell crank lever overlies a pin 59 on a link 60 connected to the plunger 6| of a solenoid 62 secured to frame member 3. Arm 58 is kept in contact with the pin at all times by means of a spring 63, which has one end secured to the frame member 33 and extends about shaft 5| with its other end lying along the top of lever arm 58 and entering an opening 55 in link 50 above pin 59.

Shaft 5| is provided with a sprocket wheel 55 connected by chain 66 to the sprocket wheel 33 on shaft 35. Shaft 5| is also provided with a ratchet wheel 57, which is engaged by a springpressed pawl 68 preventing movement of shaft 5| in one direction. When shaft 5| is moved counter-' clockwise, as shown in Fig. 1, by the counterclockwise swinging of lever 53 caused by spring 63, the rotation of worm 59 on the shaft causes rotation of shaft 48 to advance the inked ribbon The movement of shaft 5| also causes a movement of shaft 35, so that roller 34 raises card 3| by one line.

The energization of solenoid 62 causes bell crank 53 to be swung to strike the card and cause a reading of the number Wheels to be printed thereon. In the device described, the energize.- tion of the solenoid is effected by a pair of switches designated 69, H1 in the wiring diagram. The switch 69 is mounted within the casing 0 on a bracket fl and includes an operating button 12, which is engaged by a, leaf spring .3 having a roller 13 at its free end. The roller is engageable by a collar E5 on a spring-pressed rod 15, which projects through an opening in a bracket ll attached to the casing wall. Rod 16 pro jects upwardly beyond the top of the main body of the casing and into the cover, where it is engageable by a bracket 18 attached to the cover. When the cover is raised, rod 16 rises until the collarlll is stoppedrzby;.the:.underside ofsbracketri 11;- During :thismovement; of.-tlie:rod, :.col1ar..'|5'

OfJtilG-.l'n&0hill6; the performance. of; whiclris to be recorded-,xandthe part of .thegmachinerselected for the. purpose will; depend on .thenature of the record tobe-made Thus,-if it .is desired-to record the stopp e. of-;the;;machine.-for.any particular reason,--switch.18.is installed to. bei'operated by. a part of the machine, which moves WhYX-LthflSDG- cific stoppagejoccurs." When the recorder is employed with a spinning frame to record the doffs, switch 78 maypbe..convenientlymounted to be actuated .by partof the buildermotion, which must be reset before the frame. canloe. started again after being stopped for dofiir'ig.

One commonform of builder motion includes a segment-l9 which is advanced by a worm 86 on a shaftEBll. during the operation ofthe frame. Sh aft BLisLrotated stepwise .by..a pawl 82 acting on a ratchtwheel 83 attached tothe shaft. The segment .isfprovided at one end...with a boss 84, which is engageable with one arm 85 of a bell crank lever. The other arm 86 of the lever makes contact with leaf spring 87, which can be flexed to move the operating button 88 of switch Hi. When the bobbins on the frame have been filled, segment 79 has moved to the position illustrated in Fig. 7. In such movement, boss 84 has passed beneath arm 85 of the bell crank and swung the bell crank counter-clockwise. Arm 86 of the bell crank has thus been raised free of leaf spring 81, and has not operated the switch. When the builder motion is to be reset, the doffer rotates shaft 8! by the hand crank 89 to move segment 19 to the left (Fig. '7). In such movement of the segment, boss 81 engages arm 85 of the bell crank and swings the latter clockwise. In this movement, arm 86 of the bell crank flexes spring 87 to push button 88 inwardly and close switch 10. When the segment 19 has been moved to full reset position, the boss 84 moves past arm 85 and spring 81 is released and switch 18 again opened.

In the operation of the recorder for use with a spinning frame, the foreman opens the cover of the casing and inserts the doffers card in guides 32 at the beginning of each shift. When the cover is closed, switch 69 is closed and solenoid 62 is energized. The raising of the plunger of the solenoid swings the bell crank on shaft 5i, so that the pad 54 on arm 53 of the bell crank strikes the card, and the number wheels of the counter 12 print a reading thereon. As soon as the reading has been made and solenoid 62 deenergized, the bell crank is swung counter-clockwise by spring 63 and, in this movement, it rotates shaft 5|. The rotation of shaft 5| causes the take-up spool 41 to advance the ribbon 44 one step to bring a fresh area of the ribbon opposite the number wheels. Rotation of shaft 5! also causes roller 34 to advance a step and raise the card one line.

The casing 18 remains closed throughout the shift and, if desired, the cover may be provided with a lock, so that the casing cannot be opened except by the foreman. Whenever the spinning frame;-:.with whichthecrecorderzis -;used;:'is;doifed;:r andithe: builder; motionsreset; for :afnewt-run, switch-2:10 :is momentarilyfclosedto energize; sole;-; noid 52 and printa readingotthenumber.wheel. :upon the card; .Atithe. end .of-the shift.;whenthe foreman. opens thecover; switch .69 is. closed and: the, final-reading for: the shift... is :printed upon the: card-.:. When: the card of the. .oloffer. of the.

succeeding shiftis placed in the guides and; the

coveragain closed, a readingiofqthe-inumber1 wheelsat the beginning. of the. shift is printed.

upon the card.

The formof-recorder described isxparticularlyj, suited: f or use with .spinning roving, ,ordrawing frames, the performance of which is'to berecordedinterms of total output; number'of doffs, and. length of .intervals, .ini'termsof output; bynthe.

doffs. It will be apparent, however, that "the recorder may bewusedwith machines of various. other-kinds, which are operated. intermittently under normal conditions or; are'stopped'for V3,1i.-." ousyreasonsas, for'example, to avoid a defect.in.;. the product. When used with a machine.other*- than "a textile frame, .the switch 10 will be. inastalled for actuation by a part.;of'-the.,machine, which is moved-upon the occurrence of stoppages ofthekind which the apparatusisto record. Thus it may be desirable-to 'record the .performance of a machine equipped with stop -mo.-

tions causing the machine to stop 'fO1 diiferent reasons. In that case, switch 10" of the .recorder may: be actuated by the-appropriate .stop :motion or a number of switches similar to switch 10 may be used, each actuated by a particular stop motion.

I claim:

I. An apparatus for recording the performance of a machine operating intermittently, which comprises a counting device having printing number wheels and a rock shaft operable, when rocked in one direction, to advance the wheels stepwise, an arm fast on the rock shaft, a cam shaft adapted to be connected to a moving part of the machine for continuous rotation, when the machine is operating, a cam on the cam shaft acting to swin the arm and rock the rock shaft, as the cam shaft rotates, guide means for guida record sheet past and in proximity to the wheels of the device, a roller adapted to engage a sheet in the guide means and advance it past the wheels, a drive shaft connected to the roller, a lever on the drive shaft having an end operable to engage a sheet in the guide means and force it against the wheels to receive an impression therefrom, when the lever is swung in one direction, a solenoid for swinging the lever in said direction, means operable by a part of the machine, which must be moved, when the machine is to be restarted, for energizing the solenoid, a spring for moving the lever in the opposite direction, and a clutch connecting the lever to the drive shaft during movement of the lever in said opposite direction only.

2'. An apparatus for recording the performance of a machine operating intermittently, which comprises a counting device having printing number wheels and a rock shaft operable, when rocked in one direction, to advance the wheels stepwise, an arm fast on the rock shaft, a cam shaft adapted to be connected to a moving part of the machine for continuous rotation, when the machine is operating, a cam on the cam shaft acting to swing the arm and rock the rock shaft. as the cam shaft rotates, guide means for guiding a record sheet past and in proximity to the wheels of the device, a roller adapted to engage a sheet in the guide means and advance it past the wheels, an inking ribbon movably supported between the guide means and the wheels, a takeup spool for the ribbon, a drive shaft connected to the roller and spool, a lever on the drive shaft having an end operable to engage a sheet in the guide means and force it against the wheels to receive an impression therefrom, when the lever is swung in one direction, a solenoid for swinging the lever in said direction, means operable by a part of the machine, which must be moved, when the machine is to be restarted, for energizing the solenoid, a spring for moving the lever in the opposite direction, and a clutch connecting the lever to the drive shaft during movement of the lever in said opposite direction only.

3. An apparatus for recording the performance of a machine operating intermittently, which comprises a housing having a movable door, a counting device within the housing having printing number wheels and a rock shaft operable, when rocked in one direction, to advance the wheels stepwise, an arm fast on the rock shaft, a cam shaft within the housing, means connected to the cam shaft and extending out of the housing, said means being adapted to be connected to a moving part of the machine for continuously rotating the cam shaft, when the machine is operating, a cam on the cam shaft engaging the arm and rocking the rock shaft, as the cam shaft rotates, guide means within the housing for guiding a record sheet past and in proximity to the wheels of the device, a roller adapted to engage a sheet in the guide means and advance it past the wheels, a drive shaft connected to the roller, a lever on the drive shaft having an end operable to engage a sheet in the guide means and force it against the wheels to receive an impression therefrom, when the lever is swung in one direction, a solenoid for swinging the lever in said direction, a circuit including the solenoid and a source of energy, a switch in the circuit closable by a part of the machine, which must be moved, when the machine is to be restarted, a second switch in the circuit closed by the door, when the latter is both opened and closed, a spring for moving the lever in the opposite direction, and a clutch connecting the lever to the drive shaft during movement of the lever in said opposite direction only.

STANLEY P. HUNT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 965,434 Booth July 26, 1910 1,212,598 Ziehler et al. Jan. 16, 1917 1,679,542 Pucci Aug. 7, 1928 2,383,796 Helsel Aug. 28, 1945 

